Vendelin Jurion: A Vocal Opponent of Orange Politics

Vendelin Jurion, born in 1806 in Bitburg, comes from a family of jurists. His maternal uncle is the clergyman Dominique-Constantin Munchen, associated with state ecclesiasticism, who becomes a professor of philosophy at the newly founded University of Ghent in 1818. Jurion earns his doctorate in law at the University of Liège in 1829 and joins the bar association of Diekirch. He joins the Belgian Revolution and becomes mayor of Diekirch in 1836, as well as being elected to the provincial council of Arlon for the Canton of Diekirch. In 1838, he receives a mandate for the Canton of Vianden. As a provincial councilor, Jurion vehemently advocates against the division of Luxembourg and for Luxembourg's remaining part of Belgium. In 1843, he succeeds Charles-Mathias Simons as government secretary. In 1848, he will become a representative of the Canton of Diekirch in the constituent assembly. He will be elected to the first chamber of deputies and serve as the general administrator for the interior in the de la Fontaine and Simons governments from August 1 to December 2, 1848, and from September 22, 1853, to May 21, 1856.